Ezekiel 14 KJV
Idolaters Condemned
Ezekiel Chapter 14: Idolaters Condemned
The chapter pairs the contemporary exile Daniel with the ancient figures Noah and Job as a triad of intercessors whose righteousness could save only themselves, underscoring that even living exemplars of faithfulness cannot avert collective judgment on covenant-breaking Israel.
1hen came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
2 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
8 And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
10 And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;
11 That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.
12 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,
13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:
14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
15 If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:
16 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
17 Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
18 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:
20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
22 Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.
23 And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.
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Did You Know?
The chapter pairs the contemporary exile Daniel with the ancient figures Noah and Job as a triad of intercessors whose righteousness could save only themselves, underscoring that even living exemplars of faithfulness cannot avert collective judgment on covenant-breaking Israel.
God declares He will answer idolaters 'according to the multitude of their idols,' a principle of retributive deception whereby divine communication mirrors and reinforces the inquirers' self-deception rather than granting genuine revelation.
The elders' inquiry while cherishing idols hidden in the heart exposes a theology of divided allegiance, where external approach to a prophet is nullified by internal idolatry, rendering the seekers themselves 'estranged' from Yahweh.
Surviving remnant members are portrayed not merely as escapees but as living exhibits whose 'ways and doings' will function as visible proof that Jerusalem's destruction was morally necessary, thereby consoling the prophet Ezekiel himself.
The motif of the deceived prophet in verse 9 presents Yahweh as actively participating in prophetic delusion as an instrument of judgment, extending the theme that false prophecy is itself a divine sentence upon a people already committed to idols.
Commentary & Study Notes Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871) ยท Public Domain elders โ persons holding that dignity among the exiles at the Chebar. GROTIUS refers this to Seraiah and those sent with him from Judea (Jer 51:59). The prophet's reply, first, refโฆ
Classic verse-by-verse commentary on Ezekiel 14 from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (1871). Covers: Hypocritical inquirers are answered according to their hypocrisy. The calamities coming on the people; But a remnant is to escape.
- 1
- elders โ persons holding that dignity among the exiles at the Chebar. GROTIUS refers this to Seraiah and those sent with him from Judea (Jer 51:59). The prophet's reply, first, reflecting on the character of the inquirers, and, secondly, foretelling the calamities coming on Judea, may furnish an idea of the subject of their inquiry. sat before me โ not at once able to find a beginning of their speech; indicative of anxiety and despondency.
- 3
- heart... face โ The heart is first corrupted, and then the outward manifestation of idol-worship follows; they set their idols before their eyes. With all their pretense of consulting God now, they have not even put away their idols outwardly; implying gross contempt of God. "Set up," literally, "aloft"; implying that their idols had gained the supreme ascendancy over them. stumbling-block of... iniquity โ See Pr 3:21, 23, "Let not them (God's laws) depart from thine eyes, then... thy foot shall not stumble." Instead of God's law, which (by being kept before their eyes) would have saved them from stumbling, they set up their idols before their eyes, which proved a stumbling-block, causing them to stumble (Eze 7:19). inquired of at all โ literally, "should I with inquiry be inquired of" by such hypocrites as they are? (Ps 66:18; Pr 15:29; 28:9).
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